Conversion program by Christian missionaries cancelled in Gujarat

Last week, a pamphlet of an alleged spiritual gathering called ‘New Life in Christ’ organized by a Christian missionary was circulated in and around the Sankadibari village in Naswadi taluka of Chhota Udepur district and in the surrounding villages in Gujarat. When the local Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists knew about the conversion of Hindu tribals, they petitioned the Tehsildar of Naswadi to stop the program. The event was strongly opposed by local Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists fearing the conversion of gullible Hindu tribals. Therefore, we immediately gave a written request to the taluka mamlatdar to stop the program on the 7th itself.” Vishal Jaiswal said, “There have been such gatherings by Christian missionaries in the past in which the gullible tribals are converted in the name of miracles during the day and at the same place at night, there is a smell of alcohol and meat.” Conversion of Hindus in the name of miracles Replying to a question on how the missionaries carry out the conversion, Vishal Jaiswal said, “Whenever such a gathering is to take place, the local agents of the missionaries go out to survey the surrounding tribal areas. These common diseases, which are in fact naturally cured in 4-5 days, are claimed to be cured by these people by giving them some adulterated powder in these programs, and by showing such alleged miracles, they trap the gullible Hindu tribals and eventually convert them.” The conversion program was canceled due to the alertness of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP activists giving application to the Tehsildar Explaining more about the recently thwarted conversion event, he said, “When we reached out to the Tehsildar to call on the program after the program was exposed by a leaflet, it was found in an inquiry that the organizers had not even taken permission for the event.